Coal-mining apparatus



Feb. 15, 1927;

N. D. LEVIN COAL MINING APPARATUS 2 Shets-Sheet -1 Filed Oct. 7

03 INVENTOR.

A TTORNE'Y;

Feb. 15,1927.

N. D. LEVIN COAL MINING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 7, 1922 2 Shets-Sheet 2 4s 4 E j 5 III/1111111111 J I M INVENTOR.

' ATTORNEY.

or COLUMBUS, OHIO, assrenon fro THE JEFFREY M N FAo'ruRING COMPANY, or COLUMBUS, orzro, A. oonroaar'iolv or OHIO.

nILs' p. LEVIN,

COALJVIINING APPARATUS. A

Application filed. October 7', 1922. Serial. No. 593,Q94=.

The present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in coal mining apparatus, and particularly to apparatus comprising devices adapted to operate on the longwall system, to form kerfs at the base of amine .wall. associated with means actuated by the motor of the kerf forming mechanism, for its transportation from one working place to another.

In the mining of coal there has been developed a number of systems of mining, each radically different from the others, and entailing radically different arrangement of the chambers and passages ofthe mine. The machines which have been devised for use in any one of these systems of mining have been unsuitable for operation in either of the others, such machines being characteristic of the systems of'mining for which they are intended. The system employed in any particular locality depends largely upon the character of the coal vein and of the overlying strata. Where the roof conditionsare such as to require the placmg 5 of numerous timbers in close proximity to the working face the longwall system. of mining is commonly used. Mining maohlnes designed for use 1n the longwall system have v relativelylong and narrow main frames adapted topass between the roof supporting timbers and the coal'face. v The actuating mechan'ismfof the mining machine is-mounted within-the main frame and the cutting devices project therefrom to engage the coal to cut it. The main frameof such a machine commonly rests directly upon the mine floor and its relatively long sidewalls are subject to sliding contact with the face of the coal vein and the roof supporting timbers. As such machines are designed to op-v erate in either direction both sides of the frame are subject to such sliding contact and they should be without lateral projection. In orderthat such machines maybe conveniently and expeditiously transferred from one working place to another, wheeled trucks are provided upon which the machine may be conveniently loaded.

It isthe especial object of this invention to provide, in an apparatus of the class described. improved power transmitting devices adapted to connect. the motor of the mining machine with the wheels of the truck to propel said truck along the mine tracks.

The means whereby I attain this object are fully described in the following speci.-' fication and illustrated in the accompanying drawings of which, I' i Y I Fig. 1 is aside elevation of amining machine and truck equippedwith'the' devices of my invention, in operative relation for transportation fromone working place to another. v I Fig. 2 is'a plan View trated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a-rear end elevation partly in section of the devices illustrated inFigs. 1 and2." V

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional View taken along the line IV IV of Fig. 2.

of the machine illus Fig. 5 is an end view of the auxiliary -ment of the apparatus in position to receive the miningmachine." Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a detail of the truck mechanism. 1 'Likejnumerals refer to similar parts in the several ifigurest 1 As shown in the drawings the numeral 1 indicates as an entirety, a longwall mining machine of well. known design, and the 1111-" meral 2- indicates a truck adapted] to the transportation of said mining machine from oneworking place to another.

The mining. machinehere illustrated comprises 'a relatively long and narrow main. frame .3 having a bottom 4 adapted to rest. upon and slide over the mine floonand vertically extending side walls 5v and 6-. adapted to contact with-and slide along the work-r ing'face of the coal vein. At its rearward,

end there is pivotally supported an elongated horizontally extending cutter .arm' 7 adapted to project from either sideof the main. frame and'to swing across its end frompositions at one side of the machine to positions at its other side. A motor which may be r of any preferred type suitable to the condi-, tions under whichthe' machine operates, is

mounted upon the middleportion oftheg well known in the art and form nopart in the present. invention their illustration and description at this time is not thoughtto be required. The armature shaft of the motor 8 extends rearwardly at 10, .and is connected by suitable gearing, not shown in the drawing, with the cutting mechanism 7 to actuate it. and at its forward end the armature shaft is extended at'ill to actuate the feeding mechanism.

The feeding mechanism comprises a winding drum 12-upon which is windable a feed rope 13, the free end of which is adapted to be. connected with any suitable abutment towards. which the machine will bebodily drawn by zthe winding'ofusaid i'o'pe.- The drum 112 is adaptedto rotation about a vertical axis and .is arranged to be connected by a suitable friction clutch :mecliaiiism un- 'der the control of the hand wheel 14:, with a spur gearl5l The spur gear15 engages a spur pinion ,16' fixed'to thevertical shaft 17. To the vertical shaft 17'tliere is also fixed 'a ratchet wheel '18 andthis ratchet wheel is engaged' by a pawl 19 mounted upon a'rocker arm 20; .A connection rod 21 connects the rocker arm 20 with a'crank-QQ fixedto the upper end of a vertical shaft 23. The shaft 23".is :journaled in bearings of the main frame, and carries a worm wheel 21 which engages the worm 25 fixed to the armature shaft extension 11. By rotation of the crank 22the-rocker arm 20 is oscillated to'rotate the ratchet whee-1:18 and drive the gear 15 from which the druin12 may be actuated by manipulation of the hand wheel 14.

The truck 2 comprises a structural steel frame 26having journalbearings 27 and 28- in which are journaled the axles 29I-and 30 for-the support of "the truck. To the axles 29 and30-are fixedtraction wheels 31 adapted to travel alongth 11 32 Of the track- Sprocket ee1'"'fixed to the axle 29 is adapted to be connected byasuitable endless chain 34 with the sprocket wheel 3 35 projecting from the side ofthemining v machine frame when said mining machine a truck.

is in. traveling position upon the truck.-

Power may thus be derived from the motor of the mining machine to actuate thettrack wheels 31 and the "axles 29 and '30 arecon nected together by a suitable endless chain 36,in the manner well understood in the art, to increase the tractive effort" of the T-hetruc'k frame 26 comprises the longitudinally 1 extending angle bars '37 which floor to guide the mining machine onto and truck to drag said auxiliary frame for-- wai'dly of thet-ruck frame to lie beneath'the mining machine when it is in traveling position. a

To load the miningmachine onto the truck the auxiliary guide frame 38 is first adjusted, ;as illustrated in Fig. 6, with its rearward end resting upon the minexfioor. The feed rope 13 is then attached to the abutment 4:2 rigidly secured to the forward end of the truck frame 37, and the feed mechanism is actuated to "wind the feed rope .13 ilPOli the drum 12. The tension thus applied to the feed'rope 13 draws the mining machine longitudinally, of the auxiliary guide frame 38 until its forward end engages the cross member 11 after which 7 the mining machine and the auxiliary frame. are together drawn forwardly along the guide ways 37 intotraveling position upon t'lietru'ck. i

To unload the mining machine fromthe truck, the feed rope 13 is drawnou-t from the winding drum, carried rearwardly along the side of the machine and attached :to a suitable abutment in the rear of the truck towards which the mining machine and the auxiliary frame 38 will be drawn by tension of the feed rope 13. As-the centerofgravity of the mining machine passes the end of the truck'frame 37 the auxiliary guide framev 38 tilts with' the mining machine, and its rearward end contracts with the mine floor to affoi'd'an inclined skid down which tlie'ininin-g machine may be drawn to the mine floor.

As the side walls 5 and ("wof the mining machine frame a-rc'both subject to sliding contact with the face of the coal vein, it is apparent that they-should be withoutYlateral pr0jections,'and forthat reason I'have provided a peculiar arrangement of parts whereby the sprocket wheel may be con-. veniently arranged at the side of the mining machine frame when it is desired toestablisli power connections between the mining machine and the truck wheels, andinay'be readily removedtherefrom "during "the op-.

eration of the mining machine. Formedin the mining machine frame isa joiirnalhear- 1 ing 13 which extends through the side wall 5, and in this journal bearing is mounted a rotary member 4A which is positioned en-. ti rely within the vertical bounding pianes of the m ning 'machine frame. At the inner 'A' clutch member 49 formed upon the stud shaft 48 is adapted to engage with suitable clutch teeth formed on the outer end of the member 44, and these clutch teeth are so shaped that rotative pressure between the members tends to hold the sprocket wheel 35 securely inoperative position. VVhen said rotative pressure is removed the stud shaft 48 may be withdrawn from the socket 47 leaving the side of the machine frame without lateral projections.

I claim: j p

1. In mining;apparatus, the combination of a mining machine frame having a substantially vertical unobstructed side wall adapted to engage and slide along a coal face, coal cutting instruinentalities carried by said frame, a motor for driving said instrumentalities, a bearing wholly within the plane of said side wall, a transmission element insertable in said bearing so as to project outside of said side wall and connectable with exterior auxiliary devices for driving same, and driving means connectable be tween said motor and said transmission element. V

2, In mining apparatus, the combination of a mining machine frame having a substantially vertical unobstructed side wall to engage and slide along the coal face, coal cutting instrumentalities carried by said frame, a motor on said fraine'to actuate said cutting devices, power transmission means operated by said motor, a bearing lying wholly within the plane of the side wall of said frame, an auxiliary power transmission device removably mounted in said bearing and pro ecting beyond the vertical side wall of said frame when in operative position, means for connecting said auxiliary device when in operative position with saidpower transmission means, a wheeled truck on which said mining machine is transported, and driving connections between said auxiliary power transmission device and:

said truck. v v

3. In mining apparatus, the combination of a. mining machine frame having a substantially vertical unobstructed side wall to engage and slide along the coal face, cutting instrumentalities carried by said frame, a motor on said frame to actuate said cutting devices, power transmission means actuated by said motor and comprising a vertically disposed shaft, a bearing lying wholly within the plane of the side wall of said frame, a horizontally disposed rotary member mounted in said bearing, driving connections, between said vertical shaft and said rotarymember, an auxiliary power transmission device removably connectable to sai'j' rotary member and projecting beyond the vertical side wall of said frame whenfin 0perative position, a wheeled truck on which:

saidmining machine is transported, and

driving connections between said auxiliary power transmission device and said truck. c

4, In mining apparatus, the combination of a mining .inachine frame having a,

substantially vertical 'unobstructed side wallto engage and slide along the coal face, cutting instrumentalities carried by said frame, a motor to actuate said cutting de: ces, power transmission means actuated by said motor and comprising'a vertically disposed shaft, a bearing lying within the side wall of said frame, a horizontally disposed hollow shaft mounted in saidbearing, driving connections between said vertical shaft and said hollow shaft, an auxiliary power transmission device removably mounted in said hollow shaft in driving connection therewith and projecting beyond the vertical side wall of said frame when in operative position, a wheeled truck on which said mining machine is transported, and driving connections. between said auxiliary power transmission device and said truck.

5. In mining apparatus, the combination of a mining machine frame having a substantially vertical unobstructed side wall to engage and slide along the coal face, cutting instrumentalities carried by said frame, a

motor on said frame to actuate said cutting" devices, power transmission mean actuated by said motor and comprising a vertically disposed shaft, a bearing lying within the side walls of said frame, a horizontally disposed hollow shaft mounted in said bearing, driving connections between said vertical shaft and said hollow shaft. a stud shaft removably mounted in said hollow shaft in driving connection therewith and projecting 7 beyond the vertical side wall-of said frame when in operative position, awheeled truck on which said mining'machine is transported, and driving connections between said stud shaft and said truck. 7

6. In mining apparatus, the combination of a mining machine frame, a wheeled truck on which said mining machine is transported, a motor on said frame, power transmission devices comprising a vertically d s-.

posed shaft driven by said motor, 7 a

operative position, and driving connections between said; stud shaft and said wheeled truck;

'7. In mining apparatus, the combination of a mining machine frame, a wheeled truck on which said mining machine is transported, a motor on said'frame, a power transmission device carried by said frame and having a horizontally disposed shaft, driving connections between said motor and said shaft, a horizontally disposed hollow shaft" mounted in bearings in said frame wholly within the side wall thereof, gear connections between said hollow shaftand said vertical shaft, a stud shaft ieniovably mounted .in said hollow shaft and interlocked for rotation therewith when in operative position, :a driving-sprocket on .said stud shaft projecting beyond the side wall of the frame when in operative position, and driving connections between said sprocket and said wheeled truck. I

8. In ininin a J )aratus the combination of a mining machine frame, a wheeled truck ing the driving gear on said vertical shaft,

a stud shaft removably mounted in the socket of said hollowshaft and interlocked for rotation therewith when in operative position, a driving: sprocket on said stud shaft projecting beyond the side wall of the frame when in operative position, and driving connections between said stud shaft and said wheel truck.

In testimony whereof,I aiiix my signature, v

' NILS D. LEVIN. 

